Breathing Exercises for Singing

What 10 teachers from around the world have to say!

Cari Cole

Celebrity vocal coach, Cari Cole, takes you through an exercise that you can do for 10 minutes a day to help you control and regulate the breath. This is the popular "sssss" exercise but she explains it in a very effective way and gives you specific instruction that will definitely improve your breathing. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video click here.

Mark Baxter

Mark always finds a unique way to turn the mundane into the interesting when it comes to instruction. Here's no exception as he explains proper breathing technique. He shows different ways to release the stomach, sides, and lower back to allow the lowering of the diaphragm and expansion to allow for proper breathing. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Chip Jenkins

We like this video because it helps you get to know the diaphragm a little better by first showing it in diagram form, then by feeling it with your hands and then finally sensing it as she takes you through a breathing exercise as you exhale on a pshhhhhh sound. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Felicia Ricci

Felicia Ricci is very personable and more importantly really knows what she's talking about as she describes the experience of breathing. She makes a point to emphasize breathing "low and slow" and not "high and tense". She refers to every vocal exercise as a breath exercise so you can get the idea of making breathing the focus, at least at first, and developing the habit of a full and low breath expanding the 360 degree area of your midsection. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Phil Moufarrege

This is a useful video in that Phil emphasizes breathing posture and shows how to stand in order to keep from arching the back to allow for expansion in all areas of the midsection. He shows you how to develop this position by laying flat on the ground with your knees bent. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Laura Claycomb

This is a great video for understanding the appoggio or leaning/placing of the voice against the breathing muscles of the midsection. She talks about the suspension of breath which is crucial in this idea and it's the foundation of what many would call the Bel Canto or Inhalare la Voce technique. She also talks about vocal onset which is crucial in getting a fully connected sound existing in the happy medium between "grabbing" the sound and having too much air on the onset. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Dr. Dan

There's a very useful animation at the beginning of this video that shows the structure of the breathing mechanism including the diaphragm. Dr. Dan emphasizes that it's not about how much air you take in but how you use the air that you do. It's about breath pressure. And then he talks about the inhalation, the suspension, and the the exhale. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Madeleine Harvey

This video highlights the importance of maintaining an open throat and lessening any constriction that may be happening. She uses the image of a bulb on the bottom with a tube on the top, like a turkey baster. The throat remains open and you release the bulb or bottom to allow air in. You 'let go' of the bottom and air rushes in. You maintain that openness as you allow the air to release back up and out. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Freya Casey

Freya shares her 5 favorite breathing exercises. 1. Pushing against a wall while doing a difficult musical passage. 2. Putting a belt around your ribs to make sure that they don't collapse as you sing. 3. Doing a closed mouth "mmmmm". 4. Holding and then suspending your breath. 5. Singing a long and soft sustained note for as long as possible to control the outflow of air. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.

Claudia Friedlander

Claudia is a technician when it comes to the voice and here she explains the importance of diaphragmatic breathing. She explains the anatomy involved and talks about releasing the breath vs. pushing the breath. She effectively takes a student, Rachel, through a long phrase that she was having trouble with. To subscribe, 'like', or comment on the original video clickhere.